A freight rail crossing on a new light rail line will move ahead as an overpass, despite strong reservations from city officials and some neighbors.

Citing the need to move forward as quickly as possible, Metropolitan Transit Authority board members on Thursday denied a request for a 30-day delay in deciding whether to build an overpass or underpass along Harrisburg, at freight tracks near Hughes Street in the East End.

Instead, board members voted unanimously to proceed with a plan for an overpass, which might include one lane in each direction for automobiles. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic would also remain at-grade with the freight tracks, owned by Houston Belt and Terminal.

The request for a delay, made jointly by Houston City Councilmen Robert Gallegos and Ed Gonzalez, state Rep. Carol Alvarado and state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, was meant to give officials time to discuss a way to build an underpass. Alvarado and Garcia are Democrats from Houston.

Residents have vocally supported an underpass as less intrusive to the neighborhood, and many said they were angered and disappointed by Metro's decision.

Metro officials defended the choice, citing soil contamination at the site that would make building an underpass too costly and time-consuming and expose taxpayers to enormous liability.